Tank-valve mechanism



Aug. 14, 1923. 1,464,745

A. CAMPBELL TANK VALVE MECHANISM Filed Avril 6. 1921 wmgax Inv@ for rygle /fyvell Patented ug. 14, 1923.

U NIT ED S TATES means@ PATENT erica. A

ARGYLE CAMPBELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. ASSIGNOR TO ENTERPRISE RAILWAY QUIPMENT CO., OF CHICAGO, IEEINOIS, A CORPORATIUN OF ILLINOIS.

TANK-VALVE MECHANISM.

Application filed April '6, 1921. Serial No. 458,958.

To aN whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, inevnn CAMrnnni., a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ot' Cook and State of Illinois havJ invented a certain new and useful improvement in Tank-Valve Mechanism, of which the 'following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, Yforming a part of this specifioatioi'i.

This invention relates to improvements in tank valve mechanism.

In the present art of operating railway tank cars, it is the General custom to provide operating mec aanism for the usual discharge valve which operating mechanism is accessibleonly within the usual dome of the tank. Vhen the tank car is being dis charged, it is necessary Vfor the discharge pipe or hose to be connected at the bottom of the tank and thereafter for the same man or another man to open the valve by going to the top of the car. It also frequently happens that the man operating the valve is subject to obnoxious and occasionally dangerous fumes while taking ofin the manhole cover to obtain access to the valve operating mechanism. `lhirther-more, in the event of repairs or replacements to the valve mechanism, it is necessary to enter the tank and work fromV the interior thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a valve mechanism especially adapted for railway tank cars which overcomes the objections to present practice and particularlyY to provide ay valve mechanism which is applied from the exterior of the tank at the bottom thereof and which is accessible for manipulation from the exterior of the tank at the bottom.

More specifically, an object ofthe invention is to provide an outlet valve mechanism so arranged that the attaching of the discharge pile or hose to the tank car and the opening,r o the valve may he performed substantially simultaneouslyY by the same individual` thereby saving labor and time.

Other objects ol the invention will more clearly appear 'from the descriptionand claims hereinafter following.

Tn the drawing: l'orlningr a part of this spccilicatimi` Figure 1 is a vertical, sectional 'iew taken lengthwise of a tank car at the bottom thereof .showing my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a horizontal, sectiiinal view corresponding substantially lo the line 2--2 of l'igure l. ll`igure 3 is another horizontal, sectional view corresponding .substantially to the line 3*3 of Figure l. Figure l a part elevational view, part vertical, .sectional view of the arrangement shown in AFigure l, the view corresponding` to a plane extending at right angles to the section plane of Figure l. And Figure 5 is a perspective of a cap detached.

In said drawing, 10 denotes the bottom sheet olil the tank, the same havingran opening 1l therein to provide for the valve mech,- anisrn. In carrying out my invention, I employ what may be termed an outlet member A.; a valve member ll, a closure VCra locking or clamping hasp D; and a latch E.

The outlet member A is preferably in the form of a casting of suitable material and has an arcuate flange 12 :ulapted to fit the under side of the tank sheet '10 and be rigidly secured thereto as by spot welding or riveting or other suitable means. Said member A is provided with an inverted cup-shaped section lil of cylindrical torni which is lextended inwardly through [the opening 1l of the tank sheet with-in the tank itself. Said cup-like section 13 has `the top wall lift thereof closed and the side walls provided with dian'ietrical y opposed outlet ports 1'5- 15. The inner side of the section 13 is .preferably machined and provides a slightly upwardly tapered conical -valve scat 1G. Below the flange 12 is a downwardly extended annular flange 17 which is provided on the interior thereof with coarse relatively steep threads 18. 0n dianietrically opposite sides, thc cylindrical flange lT is `provided with radially extended lugs t9 and 2O for the purpose hereinafter described.

The valve mouiller il is of hollow cylindrical forni having a closed lop wall ll and .side wall 2?. lhc lzlllcr bein;r lapel'ed as indicated at 22"* lo forni a valve and coopcrali willi the l'orl'csionlliuirly ltapered valvll seal lli. The section Qi is also prov vided with dizuuelrically opposed ports 23 Il which, when lhe valve is closed. are oul of alineuleut willi the ports` l5 :is shown in Figure Il, llul are adapted to be broughtinl'o register with the ports` l5 `by rotating!y the member ll. :is will biunderstood.

The uiciulwr lil is provided on its exterior willi liu-calls 2lV coopeiwhlc with the thr: ds

llt)

18 so that the member B is supported by the outlet member A but is adapted to rotate therein. By employing the threads lh.' and 24, it is evident that the member B will not only be rotated but advanced inwardlv relatively to the member A so as to effect a tight closure when the member B is in closed position as shown in the drawing.

Below the threaded section 2li. the mem ber B is formed with an annular enlargement 25 on the upper side of which is pret erabl)T carried a ring 2G ot' suitable more or less soft material such as lead or bronze which is adapted to cooperate with the under edge of the depending annular tlange lT and effect a seal therewith when the meinber B is in closed position. Below the annular enlargement 25. the member B is exteriorly threaded as indicated at 27 so as to accommodate a closure cap 2R. the latter having a depending squared section ESI adapted to receive a Wrench or other sultable tool for applying and removing it. The threaded section 2T oi the member B is also adapted to have coupled thereto the end ot' a hose or other discharge pipe as Will be understood.

From one side. the member B has er tended laterallyY from the enlargement an integral arm 30 which.y when the member B is in closed position. is adapted to aline with the lug 2O of the member A. Cooperable with the arm 30 is the forked latch il which is pivotall)T mounted on the lui.r 2f) as indicated at 31. Then the latch E is in the position shown best in Figure 1. it is evident that the member B cannot be rotated with respect to the outlet member .iV but, by merely lifting the latch E when the hasp D is dropped down as hereinafter described. the member B majvT be operated to open position by grasping the handle 'iu and similarly the handle 30 may be employed to rotate the member B back to closed position.

The hasp D. as shown, is in the form ol1 a. plate having a horizontal bottom sei` tion 32. upvvardl)7 extended arm 33 on the lefthand side as viewed in Figure l, and an upwardly7 extended arm 34 on the righthand end as viewed in the same figure. The arm 33 is pivotally connected to the lng 1f) permanently as h v a rivet 35 so that the plate or hasp D is adapted to swing from its closed position shown by full lines to the dotted line position in Figure l. and vice versa. The arm 34. at its upper end. is notched or forked so as to provide two tines 36-36 which straddle the arm 250 and the lug 20 as shown in Figure 4, The uplper ends of the tines 36 are provided with alined openings 3T, which are adapted in he alined with an opening 3S in the lug QU so that all three openings are adapted to :in commodate a padlock UW or other suitablr sealing device.

From the preceding. it will be seen 'that malicious tampering With the valve is positively prevented so long as the plate or hasp D is in operative position and sealed there by the padlock or other suitable device. In actual practice, when it is desired to discharge the contents Vfrom the tank ear, the operator releases the hasp D: removes the cap C; couples the hose er discharge pipe to the member B; and is then ready to open the valve which is done merely by lifting the latch E and then turning the valve B a quarter turn. By this arrangement it is evident that a minimum of time and effort is required in attaching the discharge pipe and operating the valve and. furthermore, that the operator is not subject to any fumes that may have collected within the tank. In the matter ot repairs, all parts are readily aecessible from the exterior ot the tank and, in the event anyv foreign matter lodges in the valve ports, it is a eomparativelv easy matter to remove the same Without the necessity of entering the tank.

ln some instances it may be preferable to employv a cap or closure such as indicated at D in Figure 5, instead of the hasp D shown in the other figures, in order to Jfully enclose and protect the depending portions of the outlet mechanism. lith a cap such as shown at D and which is of hollow cylindrical form with a bottom wall` any glancing blow would be warded ott' thereby without danger of injuring or breaking off the parts of the out-let pipe. As will be understood, the cap D Will be hinged permanently on one side and adapted to be detachably located on its other side the same as the hasp D.

l have herein shown and described what l now consider the preferred manner of carrving out the invention. but the same is merel \v illustrative and l contemplate all changes and xnmlitications that come Within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

l claim:

l. ln a valve mechanism for tanks having an opening. the combination with an outlet member arranged to be applied from the outer side of the tank and having a portion extended inivardl)T of the tank through said opening. said )ortion beingr provided With a valve seat and a discharge port; of a valve member operable from the exterior of the tank and having a portion extended inmums wai-diy e'f fthe Ytrank withinsad iper-tion of the outlet rrrember, K'said portipn being 'provided with a vave l-emmeiabie 'Withsad seat, said van-e member 'having its outer and l`prejecting outwardly Vbeyond '-"tank and threaded andmeiebyfadapted'tehevea pipe tempted ther-etapa remevaeieelesare 'fer said outer end of Valve Imembrerg and means-accessible from tle exterior of the tank, forA preventing removal of 'saidclosurc from the valve member.

2. In a valve mehaarismlfer'tarikshaving an opening, the combination with an outlet member arranged to be applied from the outer side of the tank and having a portion extended inwardly of the tank through said opening, said portion being provided with a valve seat and a discharge port; of a valve member operable from the exterior of the tank and having a portion extended inwardly of the tank within said portion of the outlet member, said portion being provided with a valve cooperable with said seat. said valve member having its outer end projecting outwardly beyond the tank and threaded and thereby adapted to have a pipe coupled thereto; a removable closure for said outer end of the valve member; and means. accessible from the exterior of the tank', for preventing removal of said closure from the valve member, said means including, a plate attached to said outlet member arranged to extend over said closure. said valve member having a projection held by said plate against movement when the plate is in operative position.

In a valve mechanism for tanks having an opening. the combination with a ported outlet member adapted to be applied to the tank from the outer side thereof and having a portion extended inwardly of the tank through said opening: of a cooperating ported valve member rotatably mounted in said outlet member and having its lower end extended below said outlet member, said lower end being threaded to thereby adapt it for coupling to. a discharge pipe; a closure cap cooperable with said threaded portion of the valve member to thereby close the lower end of said valve member; and means` disposed exteriorly of the tank, arranged to hold said valve member in its closed position. said means including, a hasp permanently pivotally attached at one end to said outlet member and detachably attached at its other end to said outlet member, said hasp extending over said cap and having shouldered engagement with said valve member to prevent rotation of the latter when the hasp is in operative position.

4. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination with a tank having an opening in the bottom thereof; of an outlet member secured to said tank and having a valve seat casing extending inwardly lof the tank through said opening, said Vvalve seat easing 'bein-g :tapered and ported aivalve lmember rotatablyand longitudinallyadjntably mounted in said outlet msmberand havingfa 'parted tapered valve prepr 'amending within said valvesea't casing-*andjooperable vviththe-latter, said' valve member havin'g'its lower pertio'n extended beiowsaid cutiet'member; a locking arm extended `"radially "from said valve member; -fa ir'enfiovable felosnre cap mounted on the lower end of said valve member; fand means for preventing removal of said closure cap and rotation of said valve member, said means cooperating with said arm of the valve member.

5. In a valve mechanism ot the character described, the combination with a tank having an opening in the bottom thereof; of an outlet member secured to said tank and having a valve seat sleeve extended inwardly of the tank through said opening; a valve member disposed within said outlet member, said valve member and outlet member having threaded engagement and both provided with cooperating ports: a closure cap removably threaded on the lower end of said valve member, said cap having a depending nut section; an arm extending radially from said valve member; a latch pivotally supported on said outlet member, adapted to engage said arm to prevent rotation of the valve member; and a hasp permanently pivotally attached at one end to said outlet member and detachably attached at its other end thereto, said hasp being recessed to tit over said nut section of the closure cap and slotted to straddle said arm.

6. In a discharge valve mechanism for tanks having an opening: the combination with cooperating valve members, one of said members being relatively immovable and secured to the tank adjacent said opening, the other valve member beingrotatably mounted on said immovable member and having a downwardly extended section to which a discharge pipe is adapted to be connected; of a removable closure for the lower end of said movable valve member; and common means, supported Jfrom said immovable valve member, cooperable with both said closure and movable valve members to prevent removal of the closure and rotation of said movable valve member.

7. In a discharge valve mechanism for tanks having an opening. the combination with a ported valve casing extending within the tank; of a hollow valve plug rotatably mounted within said valve casing, said valve plug having a portion extending downwardly below the tank and exteriorly threaded and to which a discharge pipe is adapted to be attached; means on said downwardly extended portion of the valve plug by which the latter may be rotated; and

means, supported from the tank, cooperable with said YTvalve plug turning means for locking said valve plug against rotation.

8. In a discharge valve mechanism for tanks having an opening, the combination with a ported valve casing extending Within the tank; of a hollow valve plug rotatably inounled Within said valve casing, said valve plug having a portion thereof extended downwardly below the tank, said portion being exteriorly threaded to thereby provide for the attachment of a discharge pipe there to; a closure capldetaohablythieaded to said threaded portion of the valve plug; and means, supported from the tank, eooperable 15 with said closure cap i'oi locking it and the valve plug against rotation.

In Witness thatv I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto subscribed my naine this 18th day of March, A. D. 1921.

ARGYLE CAMPBELL.

fitnesses W. GUNNISON, WILLIAM F. BATHO. 

